The Eagles released their hit album and single “The Long Run” in late 1979. The second single released from the album was “I Can’t Tell You Why.”
Both peaked at #8 on the Billboard Chart. Together, those songs form a perfect segway to my desire to understand what elevates and keeps something in our cultural lexicon, while other compositions just fade away (Who lyric reference).
In the long run, I can’t tell you why teenagers can sing along with some songs on their parents and grandparents’ playlists, while other tunes result in blank stares of bewilderment.
Afterall, a half century is a long time for a song to stick around. I assure you – my buddies and I were not listening to any Eddie Cantor songs from the Roaring 20s on eight-track in 1976.
My desire to understand this phenomenon stirred on a recent Saturday morning, as I was listening to Sirius 70s radio. Weekly, they replay Casey Kasem’s Top 40 Count Down of the current week from a bygone year. That morning, he was playing a Weekly July Top 40 from 1977, my senior year of high school.
Kasem announced that Jimmy Buffet’s “Margaritaville” had peaked at # 8 on the charts but was still holding on. I was shocked that a song so ubiquitous 48 years later never hit number one. In fact….. number EIGHT?
I researched the seven songs that topped “Margaritaville”, and let’s just say very few people under the age of sixty would remember them.
I wondered what other songs that are part of our collective musical consciousness were not deemed to be “the best song” at any point during their release period. Surely, “Margaritaville” was an outlier of such industry omission.
I tried to be representative of different musical eras because I like to pretend in my head that people without vaccination scars on their arm read my stories too.
This is a random sample of songs that are still almost universally recognized today and where they peaked.
The 1960s had “Twist and Shout”, The Beatles (#2) and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You”, Frankie Valli (#2), and “Brown-eyed Girl”, Van Morrison (#10)
The 1970s featured “YMCA”, Village People (#2), “Bohemian Rhapsody”, Queen (#9), “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”, Gordon Lightfoot (#2), “Stuck in the Middle with You”, Stealers Wheel (#8), “Free Bird”, Lynyrd Skynyrd (#19), and “Nobody Does It Better”, Carly Simon (#2)
The 1980s were awash with iconic hits that never made the top of the charts. Most shockingly to me, “Thriller”, Michael Jackson (#4), “Purple Rain”, Prince (#2), “Woman”, John Lennon (#2), “Material Girl”, Madonna (#2), “Don’t Stop Believin”, Journey (#9) “Waiting For a Girl Like You”, Foreigner (#2), “Love Shack, The B52s (#2), and “Start Me Up”, the Rolling Stones (#2),
Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark” (#2) and “Born in the USA” (#9) also failed to reach #1. Not surprising since Bruce has never recorded a #1 single. In fact, Bruce, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Fleetwood Mac have a combined grand total of one #1 single, which was the latter’s “Dreams”
The 1990s featured these famous #2’s: “You’re Still the One”, Shania Twain; “How Do I Live, LeAnn Rimes; Whoomp, There It Is, Tag Team; and the Backstreet Boys’ “Quit Playing Games with My Heart”. In addition, there was 1991’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana (#6) and Oasis’ 1995 classic “Wonderwall”, which peaked at #8.
For those of you who may read this on a social media platform, the 2000s featured: “Mr. Brightside”, The Killers (#10), “Bad Romance”, Lady Gaga (#2), “Since You Been Gone”, Kelly Clarkson (#2), and “Thinking Out Loud”, Ed Sheeran (#2). Unbelievably, Taylor Swift had two of her most beloved hits not reach the top of Pop Mountain – “You Belong to Me” (#2) and Love Story (#4).
Why are most of these songs “still around” in our culture, while so many others are forgotten in the valleys of our cultural landfill? I know the answer to such a question is complicated and enigmatic.
Maybe certain songs just remain in our cultural lexicon because they tap into universal emotions, capture the spirit of an era, or become tied to shared experiences. These songs transcend time not just through melody or lyrics, but through the way they connect with people across generations.
A memorable hook or chorus makes a song easy to recall, but staying power often comes from deeper elements. Timeless songs tend to address themes like love, loss, hope, or rebellion. All of these are emotions that resonate regardless of age or background. For example, a song like “Imagine” by John Lennon (#3) endures because its message of peace continues to feel relevant and aspirational.
Cultural context also plays a key role. Songs that accompany significant historical moments, such as cultural movements, wars, or generational shifts (My Generation/The Who #74), often become embedded in public memory. They act as musical snapshots, evoking strong emotional responses and anchoring people to a shared time or place.
Moreover, media helps extend a song’s reach. Movies, television, commercials, and social media reintroduce older tracks to new audiences. When a song appears in a beloved film or viral video, it can find new life and relevance.
Finally, songs that are often played at weddings and holidays can embed the tune in the culture. The “Electric Slide” peaked at #51, while its annoying cousin song “Macarena” was actually a #1 hit. Sporting events can also keep certain songs alive – think “Renegade” (#16), “Sweet Caroline” (#4), or “Take Me Home Country Roads” (#2). They became part of a tradition that is passed down through generations and reinterpreted.
Ultimately, songs that stay with us are more than just entertainment. They are emotional touchstones, cultural artifacts, and a soundtrack to both personal and collective memory.
In our microwave society, where we demand every draft pick, movie, television show, and personal relationship achieve immediate success, it might be best to see life as a long and winding road that unfolds at its own pace. We cannot truly judge any aspect of history or culture without the luxury of time.
